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Updated: Jun 5, 2026
Method for the Isolation of Francisella tularensis Outer Membranes
Published on: June 29, 2010
Chlorine disinfection of Francisella tularensis
H A O'Connell1, L J Rose, A M Shams
1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. ftw2@cdc.gov
Aims:
To determine the range of free available chlorine (FAC) required for disinfection of the live vaccine strain (LVS) and wild-type strains of Francisella tularensis.
Methods And Results:
Seven strains of planktonic F. tularensis were exposed to 0·5 mg·l(-1) FAC for two pH values, 7 and 8, at 5 and 25°C. LVS was inactivated 2 to 4 times more quickly than any of the wild-type F. tularensis strains at pH 8 and 5°C.
Conclusions:
Free available chlorine residual concentrations routinely maintained in drinking water distribution systems would require up to two hours to reduce all F. tularensis strains by 4 log10. LVS was inactivated most quickly of the tested strains.
Significance And Impact Of The Study:
This work provides contact time (CT) values that are useful for drinking water risk assessment and also suggests that LVS may not be a good surrogate in disinfection studies.
